CHVRCHES’ ‘Love Is Dead:’ Dealing With Thrill and Regret

- By Samantha Woolf -

Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, CHVRCHES is known for their commanding music that captivates listeners. With their one of a kind indie synth-pop sound, their new album Love Is Dead handles heavy messages with an oftentimes upbeat flair. Largely due to lead singer Lauren Mayberry's clear soprano tone, this album hits the perfect note.

The synths in all the songs add an electric energy that powers the music.

The prominent steady drums pulse the music forward. These instruments give life to each song and provide a solid background for the soaring vocals by Mayberry. Band members Iain Cook and Martin Doherty are worthy of praise for creating those sounds.

One of the great songs on Love Is Dead is a WERS favorite -- "Get Out." If listeners aren't won over immediately by the building synth background, they'll be on their feet at the catchy chorus. First released as a single in January, "Get Out" is certainly a leap into pop music for CHVRCHES. "Get Out" is a great song to dance to, and is certain to bring a smile to all listeners' faces.

"Graves" is another standout on the album.

CHVRCHES said the lyrics reference people in power who choose not to address terrible situations because they don't have a direct effect on those politicians' own lives. The lyrics "You can look away/ While they're dancing on our graves/ But I will stop at nothing" solidify the political influences in the song.

Others may look away while there are suffering individuals, but CHVRCHES will use their popularity to help those in need. Lauren Mayberry is a vocal feminist who uses her fame as a platform to speak out against injustice.

"Miracle" features high, breathy notes from Mayberry.

The song uses a contrast between that light, airy singing to static and powerful vocal interruption. "Miracle" shifts back and forth between the calm and chaos, making for a song that keeps listeners entertained throughout. The eerie "ii" uses only piano chords against a background of nonsense whispering. It's different from any other song on the album because of the lack of singing. However, the beautifully haunting piano solo definitely stirs up as much emotion as CHVRCHES' lyrics.

Love Is Dead deals with joy and pain, love and loss, hope and despair, thrill and regret.

CHVRCHES created an honest album for their fans, using music and lyrics to portray the world as they see it. In addition, they made catchy, toe-tapping songs that could easily be heard on the radio or a party with friends. In fact, they are on the radio. On WERS. Love Is Dead is a memorable album that launches CHVRCHES into a new era of music with powerful music.